Teach me how to feel alive [Connor • DBH]

three

" I wish that I was good enough. If only I could wake you up, my love, won't you stay a while? "

✩

We stood outside the bar where Hank would be at, Jimmy's bar, he liked this particular bar a lot, mostly because no androids were permitted inside, but that didn't seem to stop Connor.

"Don't you think I should just go in?" I asked over the pouring rain, watching him casually flip a coin around his fingers, he gave a short smile and looked towards me. "I mean, there are no androids allowed," I added, gesturing towards the large red 'NO ANDROIDS ALLOWED' sign plastered on the door.

He simply chuckled, pocketing his coin and adjusting his tie, he swung the door open and entered with me following close behind. I immediately noticed every eye looking towards us, their judgmental stares directed towards me, I pulled my arms closer to my body as I moved through the bar and approached Hank — staring at his own reflection in the brown liquid in his glass. I cleared my throat.

"Hank," I said, making his eyes lift up and meet mine, but then his attention was directed to Connor standing behind me.

"Tess, what are you doing with a plastic prick like that?" He slurred, the stench of alcohol clear in his breath. My nose scrunched as Connor answered his question for me.

"Lieutenant Anderson, my name is Connor, I'm the Android sent by Cyberlife," he said formally, though Hank just looked back down into his drink with a low growl.

"What do you want?" He grumbled, not even looking up at us.

"We've got a body, Hank, you know, since it's our job to handle homicides, they kind of assume we're gonna be there," I said sarcastically, making Hank shoot a glare towards me, I hear Connor hum from behind me before he started to speak again.

"In accordance with procedure, the company has allocated a specialised model to assist investigators," he said quickly, Hank rolled his eyes in response.

"Well, I don't need any assistance. Especially not from a plastic asshole like you."

I sighed, folding my arms across my chest. "So, I guess you don't need any assistance from me, either?" I said harshly, giving Hank a deathlike glare, he went to say something but I beat him to it. "I'll be waiting in the car," I muttered, making my way out of the bar with anger bubbling up inside me; I sat myself in my car and waited while Connor convinced Hank to come with us.

It took another five minutes before they both came outside, Hank climbed into his car with Connor following close behind, and we headed off to the crime scene...

✩

There was a crowd of paparazzi outside the bleak house we pulled up to, climbing out of my car, I was faced with them trying to get some answers out of me but I simply pushed past them and waited inside the police tape for Hank. Connor followed, but was stopped by an Android standing beside the police tape.

"Androids are not permitted beyond this point," he said to Connor, holding his hand out, and that's when Hank turned around — though he didn't seem happy.

"It's with me." Connor approached and Hank gave him the dirtiest glare. "What part of 'stay in the car' didn't you understand?" He snarled, making me fold my arms across my chest and send him a pointed look. His brows furrowed towards me, but he didn't bother to say anything.

"Your order contradicted my instructions, Lieutenant," Connor answered simply, Hank turned his attention back to him.

"You don't talk, you don't touch anything, and you stay outta my way, got it?"

"Got it," Connor nodded and we all turned to see Ben approaching us.

"Evening, Hank, Tess," he said, smiling towards us, I sent a smile back and Hank simply grunted in response. "We were beginning to think you weren't gonna show," he added, directing the comment towards Hank.

"Yeah, that was the plan until these assholes found me," Hank grumbled, sparing a glance towards me and Connor. I had to laugh sarcastically, I knew he didn't really mean what he said — he just didn't want to admit it.

"Come on, Hank, you love me really," I said playfully, prodding his shoulder, he swatted my hand away and I gave a giggle. Turning my eyes towards Connor, I couldn't help but notice the absentminded smile on his lips.

"So," Ben trailed off, sending an amused expression towards Hank. "Got yourself an Android, huh?"

"Oh, very funny, just tell me what happened."

We all moved towards the old wooden house as Ben gave the briefing. "We got a call around eight from the landlord. Tenant hadn't paid his rent in a few months, so he thought he'd drop by, see what was going on... that's when he found the body," Ben explained as we entered the house, a terrible stench reaching us that seemed to have embedded itself into the old wood, I immediately covered my nose in response as my eyes found the body hunched up against the wall.

There was flies circling the rotting corpse, the victim's skin had turned a sickly grey colour, his eyes had faded to a milky white, and there were many rotting stab wounds in his chest and stomach.

The sight alone made me feel like vomiting.

"The victim's name is Carlos Ortiz," Ben spoke up again. "He has a record for theft and aggravated assault. According to the neighbours, he was kind of a loner... stayed inside most of the time, they hardly ever saw him."

Hank kneeled in front of the body as Connor moved around the room, carful not to touch anything as he listened to the briefing, my eyes wandered the room and noticed the writing on the wall. Written in the victim's blood was the words 'I AM ALIVE' perfectly plastered across the wooden boards, there were no errors, no signs of nervousness, the words were even in a perfect line. No signs pointing towards human. There was only one word that entered my mind.

Android.